Pleading Eyes
by WanderingChild24
Summary: Meg goes into the lair and finds the Phantoms mask. She tries to find the Phantom to see if he was alright. She got more than she came for. EM R
1. Unexpected Journey

Chapter One: Unexpected Journey

Meg was determined to find Christine. Her disappearance from the stage with the Phantom frightened her. That man was capable of anything, especially if his temper broke loose. Maman told her enough stories to know what he can do. The mob was right behind her and if she wanted to get there before them she would have to hurry. She entered his lair and saw something that she didn't expect. It was nothing like she had imagined. There were candles around the lair that made everything that their light touched have a unique glow to the objects surface. When she got closer she saw a miniature stage with figures one it that were very familiar. In the middle of the room there sat a beautiful wooden organ with papers scattered all over its top. She examined the papers and noticed that it was music written in blood red ink. A large packet of papers caught my eye. She went through the packet and noticed that this too was sheet music written in the exact blood red ink. The cover of this packet was labeled _Don Juan Triumphant_. It occurred to her that he must have written all of this music and this packet was so large that it must have taken years to write.

The approaching mob broke her out of her thoughts. They were getting closer by the amount of noise she heard. She had to hurry. She ran into a different room that had a large swan bed and furniture that were out dated. She saw a glint in the back of the room. She ran over to it and saw that it was the Phantoms mask and held it in her hands. It was still warm so he hadn't disappeared to long ago. The mob was in the lair now. If they found the Phantom they would surly kill him. For some reason she couldn't stand the thought of him being killed even though he was a murderer himself. She had to find him before they did. She ran back into the main room and saw the mob trashing the room and taking anything that looked of value. She examined the room more closely. She noticed the shattered mirrors. Her reflection was disorientated when she went up to it and looked at herself. There was glass all over the ground near the mirrors. There was also glass beneath a mirror that was covered by a silk blanket. She drew back the blanket and revealed a passageway into a dark corridor. With all the courage she had she stuffed the mask into her pants, grabbed a candle, and went down the passageway making sure no one saw her, and pulled the blanket back over the shattered mirror.

She walked for what seemed like hours with no sign of the Phantom or Christine. _'Why am I doing this?'_ she thought. _'I don't know why I'm being so stubborn. Christine and Raoul and the Phantom is probably long gone by now. I should just turn back and leave before the others start to worry.'_ I walked a few more feet and was about to turn around when I heard something in the dark stir. I stopped and listened to hear the sound again.

"W-Who's there?" Silence was the only response she got. _'I feel foolish. It's probably just a big rat.'_ She started heading back the way she came and then she heard the sound again. It was closer this time though. It sounded as if it was right behind her. She then remembered her mothers' advice.

'_Keep your hands at the level of your eyes.'_

She raised her hand but was too late. A rope was placed around her neck before she knew what was happening. She dropped the candle and clawed at the rope trying to get it off but every time she tried the rope was only pulled tighter, causing her to gasp for air. She felt the breath of her assailant on her neck. His words were spoken with venom and such malice, "Your fate is sealed."


	2. Pleading Eyes

Chapter Two: Pleading Eyes

Suddenly, all her courage was drained. She knew who was at the other end of the rope. _'How did I get myself into this? Why did I even care if the Phantom was killed or not? Now I was going to die!'_ She tried to kick him but succeeded in getting the rope tightened even more around her neck. While she was kicking, the mask that had been in her pocket fell to the floor with a racket.

He noticed his mask and became even more angered. "You little thief! What made you think that you could _steel_ from _me_?" Out of anger he tightened the rope even more. Her struggling increased and soon stopped when her body fell limp from lack of oxygen. He threw her to the floor and went to pick up his mask which made him become the Phantom of the Opera once again. He looked back down at the girl who had come looking for him. _'Foolish girl,'_ he thought. _'Did she think that she could come into my home and get away with it? Well, she thought wrong. Now she will pay for her intrusion.'_ He knelt down beside the unconscious girl and took the rope back into his hand. He slowly started to pull the rope tighter around her neck knowing she would not struggle this time so it would be a quick task. She started to choke from lack of oxygen. He kept on pulling tighter and tighter. Her breathing started to slow down so he knew she was near death. Suddenly, to his surprise, her eyes opened. His grip loosened slightly from shock. She stared at him with pleading eyes as if begging him not to kill her. As quickly as her eyes had opened, they shut.

He started to pull tighter on the rope but then quickly loosened it all the way. He couldn't kill her, even though he knew he should. He was sure that she would give away his hiding spot and he would soon be found. _'But those eyes. They were begging me not to let her die. After they asked so much I knew I couldn't kill her. I've killed so many so this shouldn't have been any different but there was something about this girl that made me feel guilt for even trying to kill such a beauty.'_ He put away the lasso and picked up the unconscious girl and carried her in the opposite direction of his lair. He led them down many tunnels until he came to a room. He went inside and placed her down on the floor and quickly bolted the door. She would live…for now. He had to find out why she had come looking for him before he did anything more. He tied the girls' feet and wrists and leaned her against the wall. He waited for her to wake up.


	3. Questions, Attempted Escape, and a Priso

Chapter Three: Questions, Attempted Escaped, and a Prisoner

Meg woke the next morning vaguely remembering what had happened the night before. All she could remember was going down to the Phantoms lair with the mob searching for Christine. She pushed those thoughts away while trying to focus on where she was. She searched the room that she was in. She noticed a few candles placed upon a small table in the corner of the room showing that the room she was in was the size of her own bedroom. Next to the table was an occupied chair. There was a figure of a person dressed in black evening wear sitting in the chair. The one thing that stood out the most was a white porcelain mask covering half of the persons face. Two piercing amber eyes stared hard at her. Right then she knew who this person was. It was the Opera Ghost. Her memories from the previous night came flooding back into her mind. The Opera Ghost attempted to kill her.

He stood up and slowly started to walk towards her. She tried to get up but immediately found out that she was unable to stand. Her feet and wrists were tied making it impossible for her to stand. The only thing she could do was stare at her captor. He came up to her and knelt beside her. His burning eyes seemed to stare right into her soul. There were flickers of anger, confusion, and depression in his eyes. He opened his mouth attempting to speak but then quickly closed it trying to find the right words. Meg was very uncomfortable under his harsh gaze and she started to fidget.

"What were you doing in my lair?" he asked coldly, finally breaking the uneasy silence.

She tried to speak but the words caught in her throat. She was frightened of this man. She knew he could do anything to her and no one would know. 'How stupid I was to come down here. Your curiosity got the best of you again Little Meg' she thought to herself.

"I'll ask you again, what were you doing in my lair?" he said clearly annoyed.

"I-I came looking f-for Christine, Monsieur," she whispered shakily. His eyes narrowed and she saw sparks of rage and hatred build up in them.

"Your friend is safe with her precious vicomte," he spat the word as if it were a bad taste in his mouth. Relief flooded through Meg knowing that her friend was safe and unharmed.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Meg, Monsieur."

"You shouldn't have come down here, mademoiselle. Your mother must be very worried about you."

"You know my mother?" she asked surprise. How did she manage to come into this mans life?

"Yes. She helped me years ago, and I repaid my debt to her by not killing you when I easily could have in the tunnel. Now there is nothing holding me back," he said coldly, a smirk appearing on his face.

Meg watched him as he pulled out a small dagger from underneath his cloak. Her eyes widened as he came closer to her. _'This is it. He is going to kill me.'_ He reached out and took hold of her arm and turned her around. He cut the ropes that bound her wrists and then the ones on her feet. He got up and walked back over to his chair.

Meg never felt so shaken in her life. She thought she was going to die but fortunately he freed her of the ropes. She watched him walk back to his chair and sit down. He closed his eyes deep in thought. She wondered what was going to happen to her. She looked around the room and spotted a door. She could quietly get to the door and out of this retched place. Her ballet skills had made her quite graceful and quiet and her legs could easily carry her fast. The only thing is that she had no idea of what was outside that door. It could be a maze of tunnel and she could get easily lost and never get found. She made her decision and stood up. Quickly and quietly she made her way to the door. She saw the bolt and as quietly as she could tried to lift it out of place. She almost had it out when a strong hand wrapped around her wrist.

"And where do you think you're going, mademoiselle?" he said, his voice dripping with venom. He threw her on the floor and put the bolt back into place. She stood up and started backing away from him as he walked towards her. There wasn't a lot of space to back up and she soon hit the wall behind her. Before she could do anything, he had her pinned to the wall in an instant.

"You, my dear, are not going anywhere. I'm sure if I let you go you will run off and tell everyone. Soon everyone would be after me and try to kill me. That's what you want, isn't it?" he said harshly.

"No! I swear to you that I won't tell a soul."

"Lies!" he screamed, tightening his grip on her wrists. "I know you. You are one of the gossiping ballet rats. Don't assume that I haven't heard all the stories you tell to the younger rats about me. I know all that goes on in this Opera House. As I've told you before, my debt to your mother is paid and there is nothing holding me back. You will stay down here and become a prisoner of hell, just like me, until your dying day," saying that, he let go of her wrists and walked back to his chair.

Meg sank to the ground crying silent tears until exhaustion took control of her body and fell asleep.

I wrote this chapter last night and I was going to post it but my floppy disk got messed up and it wouldn't let the chapter pop up. My dad did get most of it down except for the last few paragraphs. I tried to remember as best I could and I believe I got it down. I hoped you like this chapter cuz it took a lot of work. Seriously. Okay….so review and tell me what you think. Next chapter will be up sooner than you think.


	4. A Little Hint of Trust

Chapter Four: A Little Hint of Trust

Meg awoke hours later lying on the cold stone floor. Her wrists hurt terribly but she still pushed her way up into a sitting position. She looked down at her wrists and saw bruises from where the Phantom held them. Remembering the Phantom, she looked around the room and was surprised to see that she was the only one in the room. She stood up and began to examine more of her surroundings. There were no windows and no other doors than the one she tried to escape through. She thought of trying to escape again but remembered how angry the Phantom was with her the night before. Even if she did escape he would eventually find her and kill her. So she decided to stay where she was and wait for him. Then another thought passed through her mind. What if he was never coming back? Was he going to leave her here to die? She was panic stricken. Tears of fear fell down her pale cheeks and onto the stone floor leaving little wet puddles. She sat down and tried to calm herself down but nothing worked and she eventually fell asleep with a worried mind.

The Phantom walked in several minutes after she had fallen asleep. He noticed that she had been awake for she was in a different spot then before. He was surprised that she did not try to escape. He walked over to her and gently tried to nudge her awake. It took a few moments for her to regain her senses. When she did she wondered what had wakened her. She opened her eyes and saw a man standing over her. Realizing it was the Phantom she quickly jumped up and wrapped her arms around his waist. He was taken aback and stiffened at her touch. He did not make any attempt to respond the action. He looked down at her and noticed that her face had tear streaks.

"Why were you crying?" he asked coolly.

"I thought you left me here and I panicked," she said looking up at him. He was starring at her with a face filled with confusion. She then noticed what she was doing and quickly let go and stepped away from him. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking," she whispered.

He stared at her for a moment before saying, "Come. We are leaving and going back to the lair." He took out a piece of rope and walked towards Meg. She backed away from him with wide eyes. "I'm only doing this so you won't try and run away from me," he said reaching out and grabbing one of her wrists.

"Please don't do this, Monsieur. Trust me, I won't run away from you," she said taking her wrist away. He glared at her not sure to trust her or to trust himself.

"How do I know that you won't run away?"

"I didn't try to escape when you weren't here, now did I," she said with hands on her hips. If she is supposed to spend the rest of her life with this man he is going to have to learn to trust her word.

"Fine. If you do try to escape, though, there will be a great deal to pay."

"I understand, Monsieur."

He put the rope away and went to the door. "Come along, Meg." Meg walked over to him and he unlocked the door and they both descended into the dark passage ways of the Phantoms home. While they walked, Meg wondered why he had used her real name.

Sorry this chap. is so short. I promise the next one to be longer cuz I already know what I'm gonna do. Okay…please review and thanks to all those that did! I really appreciate it.


	5. A Room and a Name

Chapter Five: A Room and a Name

They reached the Phantoms lair within an hour. It felt like an eternity to Meg, but she was thankful to be out of the dark passageways. To her relief, nothing was ruined or out of place inside the lair. The Phantom walked over to his organ and sat down, stroking the ivory keys with his fingers. Meg was hoping that he would play something, but the music never came. She wandered around the lair, examining every room. She found a small but decent kitchen, a bathroom, a music room, and two locked doors. _'I wonder what's behind these'_ she thought. She walked back to the organ where the Phantom was, and sat down on the floor next to him. He looked down at her with a blank expression.

"Will you play something?" Meg asked cheerfully.

"No," he said plainly.

"Why not?" He didn't answer me, but instead stared at me with irritated eyes. He gave a deep sigh and stood up.

"Follow me," he said, walking towards one of the hallways she explored earlier. Meg stood up and followed him to one of the locked doors. "This will be your room from now on," he said unlocking the door.

"What's behind that door?" she asked, pointing to the other locked door down the hall.

"That is my room. You are not allowed in there. Ever," he said harshly.

"Alright, whatever you say." Now her curiosity for that room increased. She will have to find out what he is keeping in there. She find a time when he's not around. "Monsieur, you already know my name. May I ask what yours is?"

He stared at her for a moment before answering, "…Erik. You make call me Erik."

"Erik. I think that is a beautiful name. Thank you for this room. Goodnight, Erik," she said, entering the room.

"Goodnight, Meg," he said, shutting and locking the door behind him. She couldn't believe he had actually locked her in. "Well," she said to herself, "I guess it will be a while until I can gain his trust." She walked over to the bed and sat down. Suddenly exhausted, she laid back and fell asleep.

Meg awoke to the sound of an organ being played. The music was filled with emotion. The main ones were anger and depression. She knew that the music was played by Erik and that he was letting his emotions go through music. She had to admit, it was a very beautiful piece. She didn't feel like staying in bed anymore now that she was fully awake. She stood up and walked over to a wardrobe that was in the room. She opened it up and what she saw was a selection of dresses. She knew that they were meant for Christine, so she stayed in the outfit which she was already wearing. She did take the liberty of brushing out her uncooperative curls. She saw another door in her room and opened it. It was another bathroom. She washed up her face and when she thought she looked decent enough she decided to go and see Erik. She walked to the door and tried to open it. It was still locked from last night. Erik was still playing his organ so he wouldn't hear her knocking on the door so it would be a while before she got out. She looked around the room for something to do. She found a poem book and decided to read it. She sat at the vanity and opened the book. She read for about an hour when the music had stopped. Moments later, she heard the click of a lock and the door to the room opening. Not looking up, she listened to Erik moving towards her.

"Enjoying your book, mademoiselle?" he asked.

"Yes. This book has caught my interest," she said, now looking up from her book and facing him.

"I trust you had a good sleep?"

"I did, thank you. Erik, your music is simply beautiful. It was a wonderful thing to wake up to," she said with a friendly smile.

"Thank you."

"Erik," she said with a heavy sigh, "will you ever trust me?"

"I have learned not to trust anyone, mademoiselle."

"Well, could you make one exception and actually try to trust me? Maybe we could even become friends," she said with a smile.

"Friends? You want to become friends with a monster like me? You are a stubborn little girl, Meg. Do you not realize who you are asking to be friends with?" he said with a cold smirk.

"For one thing, _monsieur_, I am not as little as you think. Erik, the only thing monstrous about you is your temper. And yes, I do want to become friends with you for it does seem that I will be down here for quite a while. You have to stop wallowing in self pity!"

Erik was very amused about Megs little outburst. Maybe, just maybe he could trust her. She did follow my instructions before and I doubt she will disobey me again. So why not try. "Fine, mademoiselle. I will try to trust you, but don't expect it to be straight away. We'll start off with little things, such as not locking you in your bedroom at night which I had intended to do."

"Thank you, Erik. This means a lot to me." Erik just nodded and made his way to the door. He stopped at the sound of Megs voice.

"Oh, and Erik?"

"Yes?"

"Could you just call me Meg?"

"If you wish." And with that said, he left the room. Meg couldn't believe that Erik accepted her request. Maybe she could make him open up a little with her. She was still curious about what had happened that dreadful night, but her curiosity would have to wait. The first thing she needed to do was build a friendship with him. She was starting to really enjoy his company, even though she only knew him for a few days. No one would believe that she was living with the Phantom of the Opera himself. Of course no one would know. She would never see her mother or friends ever again. Out of sudden realization of this, she started to cry. She missed her mother and friends dearly and not seeing her mother again would surly destroy the both of them. "Maman, I'm so sorry. I miss you so much," she whispered to no one in particular. What Meg didn't know was that Erik was standing just outside her door. He listened to the girl cry and her silent confession. Suddenly, an idea struck him. Maybe this friendship thing wouldn't be so bad. He had a way to gain some of Megs trust as well. He went to his desk and got some stationary ready. He had some work to do.

Oooo! What is Erik up to? You will find out in the next chapter. I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. It's not as good as the others but it will have to do. Now to reply.

**Faith:** Thank you. I will try my best to update A.S.A.P.

**Katherine Silverhair:** I read through the first for chapters and noticed a lot of mistakes. Thank you for pointing that out to me. I'll try and go back and fix them. Thanks for reviewing.

**Charity:** Thanks. I try to put Erik in character. There is the "Evil Erik" (which I personally enjoy) and the friendly, thoughtful Erik. I'm hoping that you liked this chapter. No matter how short, it was hard to write.

**Phantom'sChristine:** Thank you and no worries. I will continue this story until the end, no matter how long it takes. I just hate it when people write stories and don't complete them. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Okay…Thank you to all my reviewers and to anyone else who has read this story. I'm sorry this chapie is so short, but I need to add more ideas to the next chapter. It might be a while. A couple of days at the most. Alright, now I'm gonna go and work on my other story. Thanks again and review.


	6. Memories Unforgotten

Chapter Six: Memories Unforgotten

Erik delivered his letter and returned to the surprisingly quiet lair. _'Meg should be up by now shouldn't she?'_ he thought. It was well into the morning and she is used to getting up for rehearsals. _'Where could she be? What if she left?'_ At this thought, he was filled with unexpected rage. He began to storm about the lair looking everywhere for her.

Meanwhile, Meg was investigating a hallway that she didn't see before. There were only three doors. One room had a desk and a couch in it and the other room was completely empty except for a Persian rug that lay in the middle of the room. She didn't look in the next door but instead went into the empty room and sat on the rug. As she sat there, she remembered her time at the Opera House. Ever since she was a little girl, the only thing she ever loved was dancing. At the age of four, she started getting lessons from her mother. She would dance for hours, wishing that she could perform in one of the operas. At the age of twelve, her mother had her audition for a part in the corps de ballet. She got the role of one of the leading dancers and ever since then, she has been working her way up. Just a month before Don Juan's Triumphant, she became Prima Ballerina. Just remembering those thoughts made her long to dance again. Slowly, a tune started to play in her head. It was a tune from the first opera she ever performed in, which was _Faust. _She stood up and started to do some of the basic positions and gradually started dancing her own dance. She was turning, leaping, jumping, and gliding, letting all her emotions spill through her dance. She danced for what seemed like hours, not noticing the dark figure that stood in the doorway. She fell to the floor moments later, having use up all her energy. She started to cry silent tears, thinking once again about not being able to see any of her friends or her mother ever again. She will never perform in operas anymore and her only home was destroyed in the fire. Erik noticed her crying and finally let his presence be known.

"Why are you crying, Meg?" he asked, walking over to the sulking girl. Meg looked up and saw him standing in front of her. How long had he been watching her?

"No reason. Were you watching me?"

"Only towards the end. It was quite a performance."

"Thank you," she said, blushing deeply. He held out his hand to her and she took it hesitantly. He took her to the music room and she sat down on the floor next to the organ. He raised his eyebrow as he watched her sit on the ground.

"Will you play something?" she asked with a smile. He only nodded and sat on the organ bench. He sat for a minute in thought before he moved his fingers about the ivory keys. His fingers produced such beautiful music; it was hard to believe that he was the murderous Phantom of the Opera. She watched his fingers move effortlessly among the keys. They were long and slender, perfect pianist fingers. Meg was in a trance like state as he played. She let his emotions flow through her. She heard his anger, passion, sadness, and hurt through the music. Erik was no Phantom, he was a man. He had feelings just like everyone else. He was more human than any other person she met. Even as the music stopped playing, she could still hear it play in her head.

"Erik, that was…beautiful," were the only words she could get out. He smiled down at her as she yawned.

"Are you tired?" he asked, surprised. She had slept for a while.

"Just a little, but there is no way I could fall asleep now. Uh…Erik?"

"Yes, Meg?"

"May I go up to the Opera House and look around? Please? I just want to get a few things if I'm going to be staying down here," she said uneasily, afraid of his answer.

"Yes, you may. This will be our first test at friendship."

"Really?" she asked, astonished.

"Yes, you may go up to the Opera House anytime you like."

"No, not that. I mean, we could actually be friends?"

"Only if you wish to."

"Of course I do. I'll be back in a little while. Oh, thank you so much, Erik. You have no idea how much this means to me." With that said she scurried out of the music room and made her way to the Opera House. All the while, Erik thought if he made a wise decision to let her go up there. She may never come back. He decided to follow her, just in case.

Meg went through the mirror and into Christine's dressing room. The fire hadn't touched her room, so maybe there was a chance that her room wasn't touched either. She walked into the hallway and headed towards the ballet dormitories. Just like she suspected, the dormitories weren't touched by the fire. She entered her room, which was still the way she left it. She went over to her wardrobe and collected the things she needed. Then she took a picture of her mother and her father. She found a bag that she could carry her belongings in and started to pack. When she was through packing, she made her way to the stage. She was depressed at what she saw when she entered the stage. The once beautiful room was now covered in ashes and the chandelier had not been moved. There were seats missing from the first three rows and the orchestra pit was completely destroyed. The velvet curtains hung in ragged pieces and the stage was half as big as it was before. She was making her way through the auditorium when she found a newspaper. She picked it up and looked at the date. It was the day after the performance of Don Juan. The heading read 'The Phantoms' Destructive Opera'. She flipped through the article until one section caught her eye. It was a list of names of those who had died in the fire. She scanned threw it until she fell upon one name. She stared at it with wide eyes, not fully taking in what she saw. She dropped the paper and ran back to Christine's room with tears running down her cheeks. Erik saw this and hurriedly made his way down to the lair. He wondered what had made her so upset.

Sorry it took me so long to update. I had a busy couple of days. I hope you enjoy this chapter. The next one will be better, I think this one will be just a filler. Okay…now for replies:

**Charity:** Good guess, but not quite. You will see what he did very soon. Thank you for reviewing. I'll try to update more sooner next time.

**Faith: **Thank you. I'll update again really soon.

**-HOT TOPIC FREAK-:** Thanks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's not as good as the others, but the next one will be better, I promise.

**Musicofthenight5: **LOL. Thanks. I'll update again soon. I try to keep them in character as much as I can. Erik is hard, but don't get me wrong, Meg's character is hard to write as well. I'm glad you enjoy my stories so much.

**Phantomlover22: **Thank you.

Well, that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will be updating again soon. Now, you know what to do. Review please!


	7. Removal Equals Death

Sorry that I haven't updated but here it is. Hope you like it!

**Chapter Seven: **Removal Equals Death

Meg entered the lair and ran into her bedroom. She lay down in the bed and cried into her pillow. Erik came in and knelt down beside the bed.

"Meg, what's wrong?" he asked concerned. She sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder.

"Maman…she…," she said through tears.

"What about your mother?" She let go and looked straight into his eyes, tears still running down her pale cheeks.

"Maman, she is dead. She died in the fire." Erik was saddened to hear this. Marie was the only one who looked upon him with no fear. She had saved him from the gypsies, and he killed her. Only if he hadn't been so stubborn to go and cut the chandelier. Meg held on to him again and this time he did the same.

"I'm so sorry, Meg. This is my entire fault. If it weren't for me, she would still be alive. I'm so sorry," he whispered. They stayed in that position for several minutes, each crying silent tears. Megs' weight on his shoulder increased. He knew she had cried herself to sleep. He picked her up and placed her into the bed, then walked to his organ and started to compose a soft, sad tune.

Meg woke up hours later, still remembering the haunting dreams she had of her mother. She had no one now, except for Erik, yet he wanted nothing to do with her. Meg crept out of her room and went to the room that she had danced in the day before. She danced for hours, releasing all her emotions. When she had used up all her energy and her eyes were dry did she stop. She walked to the main room only to find it surprisingly empty. Where was Erik? She headed back to her room and noticed that Eriks door was left ajar. Finding her chance to explore, she went to the door. She peeked inside and saw a hunched figure sleeping at a desk. It was Erik. She opened the door and walked in. The room was dark and had a few candles lit. In the room there was a dresser, a desk, and a coffin. '_Did Erik sleep in a coffin?_' Meg walked over to Erik and looked at the desk. There were papers scattered everywhere on its surface, all of them being compositions. He must have written them. Erik was still wearing his mask. It looked so uncomfortable. Meg reached out and took his mask off. His deformity wasn't as bad as people said it was. It just looked as if he had been burnt on the right side of his face. Meg traced the right side of his face with her finger when suddenly, a hand snatched her wrist in a tight grip. Erik was awake now and stood up, towering over Meg.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked, harshly, tightening his grip. Meg cried out in pain. "Come to see the monster, have you? I don't believe you have paid your fee."

"I only came looking for you. I saw you sleeping at your desk and your mask was still on. It looked so uncomfortable so I took it off," she said nervously.

"You shouldn't have taken it off. You will pay dearly," he said coldly.

"Erik, your face isn't all that bad. It doesn't matter what you look like, it's only what's inside that counts, and so far, I believe you are an understanding man." Her words angered Erik even more.

"You think I'm understanding? I'll show you how understanding I really am!" Erik dragged Meg to her room and threw her in.

"You will never see the light of day again! I hope you enjoy your night, because this is your last," he said slamming the door and locking it. Meg ran to her bed and cried. She was so scared. Erik was going to kill her, she knew it. '_Why did I have to go into his room? Why did I take off his mask?_' Meg didn't fall asleep that night. It wasn't until she heard the door unlocking did she know it was morning. Erik was coming for her.

Terrible chapter, I know. I'm trying my best to come up with ideas for this story. Please give it a chance. I will update again soon. What do you think should happen next? I need some opinions and criticism is welcome. Please review!


	8. The Unexpected

For one thing, to all of you phans who reviewed, thank you. I'm a bit lazy right now and tired of typing. This is going to be my third update in a row and it is one thirty in the morning. It hurts, let me tell you, but I would truly hate to leave you guys hanging so here is the next chapter for you.

Chapter Eight: The Unexpected

Meg instantly got out of bed and ran to the opposite side of the room. The door opened and Erik walked in, mask and all. He looked around the room for Meg and found her standing in the corner of the room. He made his way towards her form. She saw him coming and looked away. She didn't want to see what he would do. When Erik reached her, she saw her look away from him.

"Meg?" he asked, softly. She didn't look at him. '_Why did I have to frighten her like I did? Hadn't she been through enough?_' he thought. "Meg, please look at me." This time she turned her head to look and met his gaze. '_His eyes are truly extraordinary_' Meg thought as she looked into his piercing gold eyes.

"Erik, please don't…" she whispered nervously. He placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at his touch and tried to shrink away.

"Meg, I won't hurt you. I apologize for the way I acted towards you yesterday. You didn't know any better and I let my temper get the best of me again. You've been through so much lately. You became a prisoner, lost your mother, and I even threatened your life over three times in one week. I'm sorry that you had to go through all that and I am giving you back your freedom. You are free to go." Meg wasn't expecting this. She let out a small gasp of surprise.

"I'll take you back whenever you are ready," he said, turning to leave. Meg grabbed onto Eriks arm making him turn to face her and embraced him. He was quite startled to see this reaction but he responded the act. Meg let go and looked up at him.

"Erik, thank you for sparing my life and giving me my freedom, but I have a problem. I have no place to live and no relatives to stay with." Now this isn't what he had expected to hear. "Well, may I stay with you for a little while longer?" she asked, with pleading eyes.

"You have seen the way I acted and sometimes I get out of control. You wouldn't be safe here." He didn't want to hurt her again. Next time he might even kill her.

"I know that I'm taking a risk, but I would like to stay with you and become closer friends, if that is alright with you."

"You may stay as long as you must, but for now I must be going. I have a few errands to attend to. I'll be back shortly." She nodded and watched him leave her room and shut the door. Relief flooded through her body. Erik wasn't going to kill her, instead he gave her back her freedom. She thought she would never get it back. Now if only she could get him to trust her a little bit more they could get along quite well.

I know that this chapter is short but I'm afraid I might just collapse right here and now. So here is the chapter, I promise to explain things better next chapter. I might not update for a little while, I have to think of more ideas to put into this story. Please review and tell me what you think. I am open for ideas!


	9. To Be Dancing Again

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. Serious writers block. Okay, here is the next chapter, but first, some replies:

**PhantomLover05:** I guess I was really tired that day. I think that the chapter could be better, but it's too late to do anything about it now. Thanks for reviewing it anyway.

**cylobaby:** Thank you, I never thought I was amazing though so that is new. I'm glad to hear that you liked my story. Well, here is the next chapter for you.

**DragonheartRAB:** Thanks, I love happy endings, even though this wasn't the end. Okay, next chapter.

**phantomlover22: **Thanks, I'll try my best to keep it that way.

**Melissa Aminta: **Okay, quick question. I still don't know what some abbreviations are. Could you tell me what OOC and EOW mean? I just can't figure them out so could you help me out? Thanks!

**FFAMasquerade2005:** LOL. I wouldn't have cared if it was Raoul either. The name was her mothers, Marie Giry. (I just like the name Marie) Thanks for reviewing.

**Allura Arwen:** If I killed Meg there would be no story left to tell now would there? I would hate to have seen him kill her. Thanks for reviewing.

**charity:** Is interesting a good thing? Thanks!

**BrokenAngel858:** Ugh, I hate WB! It kills me. I really like this story! Thanks for the support.

Okay, here is the chapter! Let's all say it in unison now 'It's about time!'

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Chapter Nine: To Be Dancing Again

Meg wandered about the opera house one day. For the past month she had been exploring places that she had never been to in the building. She found secret passages in almost every room. Erik and her had been becoming closer and were soon calling each other friends. She would sit down sometimes and listen to Erik play the organ and sing to her. Sometimes he even read to her. Meg practiced everyday at he dancing and at least once a week Erik would watch her dance. They soon forgot about that one night a month ago.

Meg wandered to box five to sit down and read for a while. She just started a new book and she wanted a place where there would be no organs interrupting her. She sat down on the floor next to the balcony and opened her book to start reading. No sooner than she started reading did voices interrupt her concentration. '_Is there no place where I could be left alone?_' she thought to herself. '_Wait, voices? No one except Erik and I are here._' She stood up and peered over the edge of the box. She saw three people standing next to what was left of the orchestra pit. She couldn't hear much but managed to gain some of the conversation.

"Well, my new manager, I wish you luck and will be here to see you when the Opera Populair reopens in a month," a short man with gray hair and an odd looking mustache said. He appeared to be Monsieur Andre, the former manager.

"We will be expecting you then," a tall, young woman said. She had blonde hair that was put up into a bun and was wearing what appeared to be an expensive red velvet dress. She had pale skin and looked like she was in her mid twenties, but very lovely.

"Yes, good day to you Monsieur Andre," the third one said. This one was a short plump man in about his late thirties. He had brown hair and a curly mustache and wore grey evening wear.

"Good day to you, Monsieur Dublex, Mademoiselle Dublex. I look forward to the next performance." With that said Andre left with the two others following him out the main doors. Right when she knew they were gone, she dashed out of the box and down to the lair. Once she entered the lair she ran straight into Eriks' chest without knowing.

"Ow, that hurt," she said backing away.

"You should look where you're going next time, little one. Why were you in such a hurry anyway?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I went up to box five to read for a while when I heard voices coming from below. I looked down and saw Monsieur Andre and two others. One was a girl in about her mid twenties and a man who looked to be in his late thirties. They were discussing about the Opera House. Erik, they are going to reopen it!" she said excitedly.

"I see," he said in thought. "So, the Opera Populair is truly going to reopen?"

"Yes, in a month. Can you believe it? I will be able to dance on stage again," she said twirling about. Erik gave a small laugh and shook his head. "What's so funny may I ask?"

"You are. You can act like a child sometimes."

"Well, wouldn't you be excited if you are able to get your job, home, and life back?"

"I do get all of those back though, and I must admit I am a little bit excited. I wonder what the new managers will be like?"

"They look nice…"

"Looks can be deceiving. Why don't you perform a dance for me? It'll be good practice for you."

"Alright," she said going into the usual dancing room. They made the empty room that she found her dancing area. Once they got in, Erik sat down on a chair that they had put into the room and watched Meg dance for an hour.

"I love this room, it is perfect for dancing in," she said after she was done. Then a thought struck her. "Erik, when the Opera House reopens, will I still be able to stay with you? Or would you rather me leave?"

"I don't want you to leave. You may stay here as long as your heart desires." A smile played on her lips and she ran over to Erik and embraced him.

"Thank you, Erik."

"What for?"

"For becoming my friend," she said, quickly placing a kiss on his cheek and hurrying to her bedroom. Erik reached up and touched the spot on his cheek where Meg had kissed him. '_Am I falling in love with my little ballet rat?_' He got up from his chair and went straight to his room to get some rest. He had much planning to do for the upcoming events.

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Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope this one is better than the last one. More ideas will come, I promise. I had one idea for each of my stories to day and the Opera House reopening was the one for this story. Please review and tell me what you think!


	10. Reopening

I'm finally updating. Yay! I wanna say thanks to: **PersonageoftheUnderverse, charity, Mrs. Gerard Butler, Melissa Aminta, Doomonastick, phantomofleopera, phantomlover22, whitedragon235, DragonheartRAB, Udont know! **Thank you guys so much for reviewing! Sorry about the wait, I went on vacation for a few days. Okay, let's not wait any longer. Here is the next chapter.

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**Chapter Ten: Reopening** (It is now one month later)

Erik was sitting at his organ staring blankly at a piece of music in front of him when Meg tapped him on the shoulder. He sharply turned around and saw Meg standing there with a wide smile on her lips.

"What is it?" he asked rather harshly.

"Today is the day that the Opera Populair officially opens. They are having auditions for singing and dancing tomorrow," she said in an excited tone.

"I take it you are auditioning tomorrow then?"

"But of course. Oh Erik, isn't it wonderful. I get my career, my home, and my friends back. I can't wait until tomorrow."

"Yes, I'm sure it would be nice to have all those things back," he said with no emotion in his voice.

"So, are you going to haunt the Opera Populair again?" she asked hopefully.

"Why is that your concern?"

"Maybe because we're friends and I live with you?"

"Would you like me to become the Opera Ghost again?"

"Well, yes. It is always fun to get a scare once in a while and it just wouldn't be the same without the mysterious happenings of the Phantom of the Opera."

"If you want me to, I'll do it."

"Only if you want to."

"I guess I do. It would be nice to haunt again," he said, entering deep thought. There was an awkward silence for a few moments before Meg cleared her throat causing Erik to come out of his thoughts.

"Well, I'll be going now. I must go and find a dress to wear. As always, I have nothing," she said with an aggravated sigh.

"I might be able to help you with that," he said, pulling a key out of his pocket and handing it to Meg.

"What's this for?" she asked confused.

"Do you know the last door down the hallway where your dancing room is?" Meg nodded. "Inside that room there are some props and costumes from old operas. I'm sure you'll be able to find something or other in there."

"Alright, thanks a lot Erik," she said, heading towards the dressing room.

"You're welcome," he said, smiling at her back as she left.

Meg unlocked the door and walked into the room. It was pitch black and she had some trouble trying to find a candle. Eventually, she found several candles and lit them, placing them in different spots around the room. She gasped at what she saw. The room was huge. It was big enough to be a ballroom. In the room there were three wardrobes, two desks, and a vanity. Posters hung on all the walls advertising old opera and props were scattered everywhere. There were numbers of boxes placed in the corners of the room with costumes and other props hanging out of them. Meg walked up to one of the wardrobes and opened it. Inside, there were several elegant dresses made of fine material. She pulled out a dark purple velvet dress that hung down to her ankles and was lined with black silk. The straps were made to hang loosely on the shoulders and the neckline was a somewhat low cut. There was gold lace criss-crossing the front of the dress giving it a medieval look. She held the dress up to her and admired it. She immediately fell in love with it, but it wasn't something to wear to a dancing audition. She hung the dress back up and opened another wardrobe. Inside this one were three knee high leotards. One was blue, the other pink, and the last one was white. She took out the white one and tried it on. Surprisingly, it was a perfect fit. She searched a close by box and found a pair of ballet slippers. She tried those on as well and they fit perfectly. She changed back into her old clothes and took her new auditioning outfit with her to her room satisfied.

Erik was still seated at his organ staring at the piece of music when Meg stood behind him.

"Thanks again, Erik," she said, making him jump in surprise and turn around. He had a confused look on his face, but soon remembered what she was thanking him for.

"I suspect that you found something to wear?"

"Yes, I did. Here is your key back," she said, taking the key out and handing it to him.

"You keep it," he said, pushing the key into her hand.

"What?" she asked confused.

"The room is yours. I'm sure you'll have more use of it then I."

"Oh, thank you Erik. You're a great friend," she squealed embracing him. He responded the action, but Meg quickly pulled away.

"This is terrible. You've done so much for me and I haven't done a thing for you. You let me stay in your home, you've given me a bedroom, a dancing room, and a costume room and I haven't given you a thing," she said, horrified at herself.

"You already gave me the greatest thing," he said smiling.

"What would that be?" she asked puzzled.

"You gave me friendship when no one else would, and that's all I could ever ask for, and I thank you for that."

"Erik, I'm the luckiest girl ever."

"Why is that?"

"Because I have a friend like you," she said giving him another hug and kissing him on the cheek. "I must go and rest for tomorrow. Thanks again." With that said, she made her way to her bedroom. Erik sat there for a moment, staring at the door that Meg just went through, then turned back to the piece of music. This time, he actually played the piece, sending a beautiful sound throughout the lair.

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Okay, next chapter will be auditions and a new character. Oooo, who will it be? I promise to update sooner this time. I somewhat know what I'm doing next so it will most likely be up this week. I hoped you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it sounds like a filler but, oh well, I'll just have to live with it. Please review and tell me what you think. Until next time, my lovely reviewers.


	11. Auditions

**Chapter Eleven: Auditions**

Meg hurried and slipped into her ballet out fit and ran out the door. Erik was waiting for her in the gondola. He helped her in and they made a silent trip to the other shore. He helped Meg out of the boat and followed after her. They went to the mirror and Erik went out first, checking if it was clear.

"Come out, Meg," he said, turning towards her. She walked out of the mirror and stood beside Erik. "I wish you the best of luck."

"Thank you. Are you going to be watching?" she asked hopefully.

"But of course. I never miss auditions. You must be going; they are going to start without you." She nodded and made her way out the door.

Meg made it on time. She took a look around and saw her friends Samantha and Jessica. They spotted her and hurried over.

"Meg! It's so nice to see you again," Samantha said.

"We heard about your mother. I'm sorry," Jessica said.

"It's alright. Are you two here for the audition?" Meg asked.

"Of course!" they answered in unison.

"Did you see anyone else we know here?" Meg asked.

"La Sorelli is here…" Samantha trailed off as one of the new managers approached them.

"Bonjour Mademoiselles. My name is Arnold Dublex. My daughter, Lily Dublex, and I are now the managers of the Paris Opera Populair. Do any of you go by the name Marguerite Giry?" he asked.

"I am her," Meg said, stepping forward.

"Splendid. You are on next," he said, scurrying off.

"Good luck, Meg," Samantha said with a smile.

"I bet you'll do great," Jessica said also smiling.

"Thanks guys," Meg said, returning their smiles and heading towards the stage. She went to center stage and waited for the cue to start dancing. She took a quick glimpse at box five and smiled when she saw a figure watching her. The music started and she danced her heart out. From leaps to turns, to gliding and spinning. It was her favorite dance and she perfected it. The music ended and Meg stopped dancing. There was a loud applause and Meg smiled sweetly and walked off stage. Mademoiselle Dublex came up to her and shook her hand.

"That was a beautiful performance. I would be honored if you became our new Prima Ballerina," she said.

"What? Me? Really?" Meg said in shock.

"Yes. I could tell from the way you dance that you absolutely love it."

"Yes, I do. Thank you so much, Mademoiselle."

"Call me Lily. I've always hated formality. Just don't tell my father," Lily laughed.

"Alright. Thank you, Lily," Meg said with a smile. Lily returned her smile and walked away. Jessica and Samantha came up to her next with grins on their faces.

"Meg, that was wonderful. I've never seen you dance like that," Samantha said exitedly.

"Yes, it was as if you were dancing for someone," Jessica said, then squealed. "Meg, were you dancing for someone? A gentleman by chance?"

"Of course not," Meg lied.

"Well, would you like to come to dinner tonight with us? It's been so long since we last did that."

"I would love to, but I must rest. I didn't sleep to well last night. Sorry."

"That's alright, we understand. We'll see you tomorrow," Jessica said, taking Samantha by the arm and dragging her over to a group of boys.

"They never change," Meg mumbled to herself. She smiled to herself and made her way back to Christine's dressing room. She entered the room and shut the door behind her. When she turned around, she saw Erik standing there with a smile on his face. She noticed he had been smiling a lot the past few days, which was fine with her. She loved his smile.

"So, how did I do?" she asked nervously. He walked over to her and held her hand in his.

"You did wonderful. I think this was the first time I've ever seen you put so much passion into your dancing. Why is that?" he asked curiously. Her cheeks turned pink and she turned away.

"I wanted to impress you," she said barley above a whisper. He took his hands and cupped her chin, bringing her eyes to meet his. There was an emotion inside her eyes that he never saw before.

"You have no need to impress me. I like you just the way you are. Don't ever change," he said seriously. She smiled and said,

"I promise I won't." They made their way back into the lair deep in their thoughts the whole way.

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Crappy ending, I know. It's been a while since I wrote for this story. I'll try and get a new chapter up soon. Please review and tell me what you think.


	12. A New Patron and a New Friend

Sooooooo sorry that I haven't updated. Writers Block for soooo long. School takes up way too much of my mind. That's what you get for being a Sophemore…Okay, here's the long awaited chapter.

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**Chapter Twelve: Another Patron and a New Friend**

Meg woke to a haunting melody coming from the main room. She got up out of bed and walked over to the door, opening it only a crack to see the source. As she suspected, Erik was sitting at the organ trying to compose his new work. He had been working on this for the past week and she had heard the same song over and over again until today. This song was new, and extremely powerful. It beautiful music held sadness and pain in each note that was struck. Meg shook her head and came out of her trance when Erik stopped playing and turned towards her. She saw him looking at her and quickly shut the door. '_That was close_' she thought. '_Now to get ready for rehearsals._' She hurriedly washed and dressed, making her way out the door a few minutes later. Erik was waiting for her at the gondola, ready to take her to the other side.

"Good morning, Erik," Meg whispered. Erik just nodded in acknowledgement. This wasn't odd behavior for Erik. He was normally like this around people. Meg got into the boat and Erik rowed across the lake in silence. Once they hit shore, Erik helped Meg out of the boat and started to row away again.

"Erik, is everything alright?" Meg asked concerned. Now this wasn't like him; not to speak to her before she left. He stopped and turned to face her.

"Everything is fine. Just go to rehearsal. I'll be here for you when you return." With that said, he rowed around the corner out of sight.

"I wonder what's irritated him," Meg thought out loud. She just shrugged it off and made her way up the stairs.

Every one was warming up for practice when Meg entered the stage. She took her place at the bar when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw a girl about one or two years younger than her.

"Excuse me," said the girl. "I was wondering if I could share a spot at the bar with you. It appears to be the only area open," she said shyly. Meg looked over the bar to find that what the girl had said was right. There was no space left.

"Of course," Meg said with a sweet smile.

"Thank you," she said, returning the smile.

"My name is Marguerite Giry, but you may call me Meg."

"Pleasure to meet you, Meg. My name is Chelsy Lynn. I just moved here from London."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Chelsy. Anytime you need help with anything, just ask me."

"Thank you, Meg." The girls stretched for about fifteen minutes when the managers walked in, clapping their hands loudly to gain attention. A few moments later, the stage fell silent.

"Le bon matin tout le monde. J'espère que vous êtes tout puits reposé. Commençons le jour d'avec une bonne repetition," the managers spoke. "Today we have a special guest. I would like you to meet out new patron, Trevor De Changy," Andre said, gesturing for a young man, about twenty, to come and stand next to him.

Megs head immediately shot up at hearing the De Changy name. She saw a young man wearing black pants and a white shirt standing with the managers. He had shoulder length blonde, curly hair, tan skin, and the most beautiful deep blue eyes that Meg had ever seen. Only a few moments later did she realize that he was staring at her as well. Meg turned away, a light blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Thank you for your attention ladies and gentlemen. I'll now leave you to your rehearsals and expect a great performance tomorrow night," Trevor stated. He took one last look at Meg before walking out of the auditorium with the managers.

"What do you think of the new patron?" Chelsy asked.

"He's alright," Meg said.

"Are you positive that he is only 'alright'?" she asked, trying to find the truth.

"Fine, he is a _very_ handsome man," Meg said excitedly.

"I knew you would think that. He was staring at you the whole time!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I think he may like you. Maybe he will become your suitor," she said, walking away from the bar as Madame Giry came out. Meg followed quickly after her.

"I only said he was handsome. I never said I liked him. I haven't even met him!"

"Marguerite Giry, would you please be quiet or would you like to come up here and teach the class, hmm?" Madame Giry asked.

"No, Madame, I will be quiet," Meg said quietly. Madame Giry nodded and started to instruct the class.

"Madame Giry is your mother?" Chelsy said, somewhat shocked. Meg nodded and went about with the steps along with Chelsy. About three hours later, practice was done and they were excused.

"Where's your dorm room?" Chelsy asked.

"Um," Meg said nervously. "Come with me for a minute," she said, dragging Chelsy down the hallways and into a small closet.

"Why are we in here?" Chelsy asked confused.

"Can I trust you?" Meg asked.

"Of course."

"Alright, but you can't tell anyone. I don't have a dorm room. I live with the Opera Ghost."

"What? Don't be silly," she said, half laughing. Meg gave her a serious face. "You're not joking are you," she said. Meg shook her head.

"I wouldn't joke around with something like this," she said, "but you have to promise me that you won't tell a soul."

"I promise. You're secret is safe with me. So, does this mean we're friends now?" Chelsy asked excitedly.

"Yes! Of course we're friends!"

"Am I able to meet the Phantom?" Chelsy asked hopefully.

"Not yet. Maybe later, but not yet. I have to go now. He is expecting me," Meg said opening the door.

"Alright, I'll see you later then?"

"Yes. Would you like to go for dinner tonight?" Meg asked.

"That would be great! Does seven sound alright to you?"

"Yes that's perfect. I'll see you at seven then," Meg said heading towards Christine's dressing room as Chelsy went her own way. She was at the door when she saw Trevor turning onto the same hallway. She gasped and burst through the door, slamming it shut behind her. She didn't even notice Erik standing in the room until he spoke.

"That was uncalled for. Is something wrong?" he asked amused. Meg shrieked and turned around, seeing Erik standing by the mirror.

"Must you always do that?"

"Do what?" he asked confused.

"Sneak up on people like that!"

"It's what I do," he said simply. "How did rehearsals go?"

"Fine, fine. We have a new patron," Meg said, walking towards Erik.

"I know. Another De Changy," he said with hatred.

"Erik, will you tell me what happened that night?" Meg asked curiously. He looked at her with cold eyes, but softened soon after.

"Not yet, Meg. Sometime, but not yet."

"I understand," she said, heading through the mirror, having an idea. "Erik?"

"Yes?" he asked following her.

"Well, it's going to be Valentines Day soon, and I was wondering if we could do something special that day." Erik pondered about this for a moment before answering.

"I don't see why not. I don't usually do anything, but maybe we could think of something," he said with a smile.

"Oh, that would be great!" Meg said excitedly. "Also, tonight I'm going out to dinner with Chelsy, alright?"

"Who's Chelsy?" Erik asked curiously.

"She's a new dancer here. My new friend. Is it alright with you if I go out with her tonight?" Meg asked hopefully.

"You don't have to ask my permission. It's your life. You do what you want with it. I don't control what you do."

"Thank you, Erik," Meg said, hurrying to her bedroom to get ready.

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Yeah, cheesy place to leave off, but I ran out of ideas for this chapter. The dinner is saved for the next chapter. I have something planned for Valentines Day too. Okay, please review and tell me what you think!


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